Hi all --

We have just returned from a trip and decided today was a good day to try and catch up with two of the good birds in the area. We had tried several times before we left in early January for the Crossbill (which is 15 minutes from our home) to no avail,  but recent posts seemed to indicate that it was being more reliable (natural food sources perhaps depleted?).

Anyway, got to the Sligo Creek spot about 9:15 AM and the Crossbill was on the feeder! Oh, too easy (yeah!) We watched it in the scope for about 10 minutes and then it flew up into a tree, and finally flew off. It was with Goldfinches, and spent most of its time on the sock feeder but also visited the water bath once. Very richly colored for a WW Crossbill. Nice!

Then, since the predicted high winds seemed to be still absent, we were off to Arnold for the Painted Bunting. Got there about 10:30 and the bird was on the feeder! Again, too easy (ha--don't believe that!) -- we watched it with three other birders for about 10 minutes and it finally flew into the holly and disappeared. Great scope views, a state bird for both of us and one which we had chased before with no luck.

We then went to Sandy Point SP to look for Snow Buntings and had a distant "fly-up-and-away" which probably was one but never got it in the bins and it vanished despite a lot of trudging -- this near the water pool in the beach. 

Then home just as the wind and rain showers started.

Gail Mackiernan and Barry Cooper
Silver Spring, MD